Long Elias Interview Today (1/25)

[Aristotelian]

7 minutes ago, jabba72 said:

My guess is for the same reasons they signed Gibson last year. More SP depth. Gibson did win 15 games.

We also have Means coming back this year. But to Sports Guy's point, if we're trying to improve the team, we should actually try to improve. Gibson pitched 1 inning in the playoffs.

[24fps]

38 minutes ago, jabba72 said:

My guess is for the same reasons they signed Gibson last year. More SP depth. Gibson did win 15 games.

This is exactly right.  I don't think anybody looks at Lorenzen as an upgrade including me.  At best he's insurance against injuries and underperformance from the other starters.  He is certainly not what the team has a right to expect given last year's success.  There is a point where Elias has to take back the initiative on improving the team though, and if what other teams are asking for is unreasonable and he can't spend the money on Snell or Montgomery then there's not much else to do to address 2024's clearest need.

[LookinUp]

1 hour ago, wildcard said:

Bradish, GRod, Means and Wells looks like good starters for the playoffs if managed correctly.   If you think Bradish and GRod are not improving that is not a good bet.

I don't think there's any debate about whether the O's need to add one or more starters. They do. Elias has said he's looking for starters many times. He agrees that we can use more.

The question is what he gives up in cash, draft picks and trade assets. That's what he's actively navigating now, not a binary question of whether we need a starter. That answer is yes.

[LookinUp]

6 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

They aren’t going to extend anyone.

Just going on the record here as saying I think you're wrong about this. We'll see.

[wildcard]

26 minutes ago, LookinUp said:

I don't think there's any debate about whether the O's need to add one or more starters. They do. Elias has said he's looking for starters many times. He agrees that we can use more.

The question is what he gives up in cash, draft picks and trade assets. That's what he's actively navigating now, not a binary question of whether we need a starter. That answer is yes.

I agree they need another starter.   I don't know if Elias will trade the prospects needed to make that starter a playoff starter.   

[wildcard]

22 minutes ago, LookinUp said:

Just going on the record here as saying I think you're wrong about this. We'll see.

Considering that Elias has seen how hard it is to acquire starters I hope he extends Means after he sees him in ST and before the season begins.  I am hoping for a extension through the 2026 season..

[Can_of_corn]

44 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Considering that Elias has seen how hard it is to acquire starters I hope he extends Means after he sees him in ST and before the season begins.  I am hoping for a extension through the 2026 season..

This is what his sixth off-season as GM?

You don't think he knew what the market was going to be?

[Roll Tide]

57 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Considering that Elias has seen how hard it is to acquire starters I hope he extends Means after he sees him in ST and before the season begins.  I am hoping for a extension through the 2026 season..

I’d want to be sure he doesn’t need to be shutdown after 4or 5 starts

[wildcard]

10 minutes ago, Roll Tide said:

I’d want to be sure he doesn’t need to be shutdown after 4or 5 starts

Means should have 4 or 5 starts in ST.

[Sports Guy]

1 hour ago, LookinUp said:

Just going on the record here as saying I think you're wrong about this. We'll see.

I hope I am.

[Sports Guy]

1 hour ago, wildcard said:

I agree they need another starter.   I don't know if Elias will trade the prospects needed to make that starter a playoff starter.   

You also don’t think he should.

[Sports Guy]

39 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

This is what his sixth off-season as GM?

You don't think he knew what the market was going to be?

For someone that is all about Elias, WC shows very little faith in him.

[foxfield]

8 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

I’m not sure why there is such a hesitance from fans to win now. It’s like people only want to win with what’s here.  I get that fans aren’t used to the Os winning or being in the seat of buyers to get over the hump but the fear of it is odd to me.

I don’t think the answers are as binary as you make them. It’s easy for all of us to agree on the need to improve the starting rotation. And obviously the easiest way to do that is to spend money, which we all assume is not really an option…but we really don’t know that with absolute certainty. 
 

I am not afraid of Elias pulling the trigger to get Cease or anyone else who might give us that improvement and might not. Those transaction costs and risks are part of the deal. I am no more afraid of that not working than I am of it not working to simply improve with what we have. 
 

But I am also not afraid of Elias deciding that three of his top 10 plus maybe a couple others is more than he wants to spend. 
 

I also believe that judging the results on the field are more import than winning the polls in preseason or on message boards. 
 

It’s just my opinion, but I think much of the hashing here is splitting hairs. Maybe on X or something people may be more uninformed and more irrational. I don’t know. But I really don’t think folks here are that much in disagreement. But maybe I’m just an optimist. 
 

Either way, I agree we are good now. And could be better tomorrow. Or next week. Or next month.  There are still many pathways that can lead this club to higher ground. 
 

[Sports Guy]

1 hour ago, foxfield said:

I don’t think the answers are as binary as you make them. It’s easy for all of us to agree on the need to improve the starting rotation. And obviously the easiest way to do that is to spend money, which we all assume is not really an option…but we really don’t know that with absolute certainty. 
 

I am not afraid of Elias pulling the trigger to get Cease or anyone else who might give us that improvement and might not. Those transaction costs and risks are part of the deal. I am no more afraid of that not working than I am of it not working to simply improve with what we have. 
 

But I am also not afraid of Elias deciding that three of his top 10 plus maybe a couple others is more than he wants to spend. 
 

I also believe that judging the results on the field are more import than winning the polls in preseason or on message boards. 
 

It’s just my opinion, but I think much of the hashing here is splitting hairs. Maybe on X or something people may be more uninformed and more irrational. I don’t know. But I really don’t think folks here are that much in disagreement. But maybe I’m just an optimist. 
 

Either way, I agree we are good now. And could be better tomorrow. Or next week. Or next month.  There are still many pathways that can lead this club to higher ground. 
 

Ummm ok I guess?  Not really sure what to make of this or what the point is but ok.

[RZNJ]

5 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Ummm ok I guess?  Not really sure what to make of this or what the point is but ok.

This man is confused by color.  Please put it back on black and white.